1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to container opening devices and more particularly pertains to a foil piercing and clearing nozzle for piercing a frangible foil seal of a container and clearing the pierced seal from a flow path of the container.
2. Description of the Prior Art
The use of container opening devices is known in the prior art. More specifically, container opening devices heretofore devised and utilized are known to consist basically of familiar, expected and obvious structural configurations, notwithstanding the myriad of designs encompassed by the crowded prior art which have been developed for the fulfillment of countless objectives and requirements.
Known prior art container opening devices include U.S. Pat. Nos. 2,771,218; 4,614,437; 3,261,505; 2,774,432; 2,773,722; 3,402,855; 3,731,844; 4,340,147; 4,759,472; 4,938,390; 4,901,890; 4,790,453; and 4,553,971.
While these devices fulfill their respective, particular objectives and requirements, the aforementioned patents do not disclose a foil piercing and clearing nozzle for piercing a frangible foil seal of a container and clearing the pierced seal from a flow path of the container which includes a cylindrical main body positionable over a neck of a container, a piercing assembly mounted within the cylindrical main body and positioned to pierce a frangible foil seal extending across the neck of the container, and a clearing assembly concentrically mounted within the cylindrical main body for clearing the pierced frangible seal from a path of fluid exiting the container through the neck thereof.
In these respects, the foil piercing and clearing nozzle according to the present invention substantially departs from the conventional concepts and designs of the prior art, and in so doing provides an apparatus primarily developed for the purpose of piercing a frangible foil seal of a container and clearing the pierced seal from a flow path of the container.